Varsity Soccer |

GAME RECAP
Tonight’s game at Conant was the final regular season match of the 2017 MSL campaign.  The game was also part of Conant’s Homecoming festivities, and a rematch of two teams that played three times last year, including the IHSA State semifinal.  We were fairly certain that Conant would come into this match highly motivated and ready to play.

The stormy conditions, which  included a fair amount of rain as well as a bit of wind, would not slow our Broncos down.  We came out firing and took an early lead in just the 5th minute.  Michael Blanke made a perfectly timed run in between the two Conant center backs.  Aidan Lew picked him out and delivered a perfectly timed pass to Blanke’s feet.  From there, Blanke would do the rest, carrying the ball into the Conant goal area and tucking the ball into the net.   Just that quickly it was 1-0 for our Broncos!

For the next thirty minutes, both teams played well, connected passes and each created a handful of scoring chances.  Our midfield initiated opportunities for both of our forwards, and our back line worked diligently to minimize the Cougars chances.  A few great recovery runs and tackles from the back four of Connor Delahunt, Charlie Frank, Nathan Patterson and CJ Steib kept Conant in check for much of the half.  (The midfield group of Justin Funk, Gio Guarnero, Enrico Ruffolo and Omkar Prabhavalkar also did their fair share of defensive work too, we should add.)

In the final five minutes of the first half, Conant’s Sota Ono took matters into his own hands though, when he skillfully mesmerized a pair of Bronco defenders, and then hammered a shot over Bronco starting goalkeeper Brett Sprengel and into the goal.  A moment of individual brilliance from Soto leveled the game at one goal a piece.

At halftime, we inserted freshman goalkeeper Daniel Hesselbein into the net, and went back to work.  Less than fifteen minutes into the half, what seemed like an unfair challenge by us was not whistled, and the ensuing sequence led to Omkar Prabhavalkar collecting a ball on the right flank, allowing him to move into the Conant defensive third of the field.  From there, Prabhavalkar found a streaking Aidan Lew who collected the ball with one touch and slotted it into the back of the net with his next.  Conant was upset, and understandably so, but after a brief meeting of the officials, the goal was allowed. The score was now 2-1 for Barrington.

Just five minutes later, Enrico Ruffolo was rewarded for his hard work on the night, when Justin Funk gathered a rebound and laid it off to Ruffolo.  Enrico blasted his chance into the goal and gave us a two goal advantage.  You could feel us all grow into the belief that this game was now ours to manage and see out.   We did just that and the match ended with our boys getting the 3-1 victory.  Well done fellas, well done!

SCORING SUMMARY
BHS – Michael Blanke (Aidan Lew) — 5th minute
CHS – #8 — 37th minute
BHS – Aidan Lew (Omkar Prabhavalkar) — 53rd minute
BHS – Enrico Ruffolo (Justin Funk) — 58th minute

STATS SUMMARY
Shots: BHS 17, CHS 8
Fouls:  BHS 9, CHS 14
Corner kicks:  BHS 4, CHS 5
Offsides:  BHS 1, CHS 1